The present invention relates generally to a cassette for containing a magnetic tape. More particularly, the present invention relates to a cassette for containing a magnetic tape, such as a magnetic tape intended for audio use or the like, wherein the magnetic tape .is received in a winding state in a hollow space defined between a pair of upper and lower case halves, and a pair of hubs are rotatably supported in the hollow space so that the magnetic tape can practically be used upside down.
As is well known, magnetic tape cassettes have been extensively used for storing magnetic recording media used for recording/reproducing operations with an audio unit such as a magnetic tape recorder as well as a video unit such as a video tape recorder. The magnetic tape cassettes for audio use are generally constructed such that a magnetic tape is received in a wound state in the interior of a case body defined by a pair of upper and lower case halves, and a pair of flangeless hubs are rotatably supported in the case body.
With respect to the magnetic tape cassette which has been hitherto used for an audio unit, the hollow space defined by the pair of upper and lower case halves is divided into a recording/reproducing region and a tape receiving region with a partition interposed between the two regions. When the magnetic tape cassette is inserted into a recording/reproducing apparatus for performing a recording/reproducing operation, a magnetic head comes into contact with the magnetic tape received in the magnetic tape cassette.
As is well known, the magnetic tape cassette is constructed such that both an A-side and a B-side of the magnetic tape cassette can be selectively used for recording and reproduction by inserting the magnetic tape cassette into the audio unit either right-side-up or upside-down. In other words, the magnetic tape received in the magnetic tape cassette can be separately used with respect to each of upper and lower half regions of the tape in the direction of width of the tape. Thus, the full width of the magnetic tape can be used for recording and reproduction by reciprocally displacing the magnetic tape in the direction of width of the tape.
Automatic reversing tape units are available for performing continuous recording/reproducing with respect to both the A- and B-sides of the magnetic tape. In such units, the direction of running of the magnetic tape is reversed immediately after the end of the tape in each direction is detected. However, the recording or reproduction of the magnetic tape must once be interrupted, no matter how the recording/reproduction apparatus is constructed, when the direction of running of the magnetic tape is reversed. For this reason, it has been considered that it is unavoidable that a gap in the reproduced signals occurs when the direction of running of the magnetic tape is reversed. Therefore, for example, when a recording operation is performed with the conventional magnetic tape cassette, it is necessary to pay careful attention to a time required for performing a recording operation with one of the two sides of the magnetic tape cassette in order to prevent the occurrence of undesirable sound interruption.